You love your garden, and sadly, neighborhood cats seem to like it too. If you see them using your garden as a toilet or gnawing on some plants, you will probably be eager to devise a way to keep those lively felines away from your flowers and plants. You can choose whether to create a physical barrier, make your garden unpleasant for these intruders, or scare them. If these solutions don't work, you can always try to compromise and propose a truce, giving them an area to use.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Create a Physical Barrier
Step 1. Create an obstacle course constructed from plastic forks or wooden sticks
If cats don't have enough space to move around, sharpen their claws, and dig, they'll look for another area to use to fulfill their needs as well. Insert pointed plant stems, forks, sticks or similar objects (about 25 cm long) into the ground every 20 cm to hinder the action of cats.
- Be sure to introduce sticks or other similar material a few inches deep into the ground so that they can stay upright.
- The tips of these tools will not be so sharp as to harm them, but they can act as a deterrent to discourage intruders from hanging out in the garden.
Step 2. Insert a chicken coop wire mesh into the ground
Install the wire mesh (available at hardware stores) before the plants begin to sprout from the ground. Sprouts usually manage to grow between spaces, but cats will find it annoying to walk over this lattice due to its texture. In fact, it will be soft enough not to hurt them, but also strong enough to discourage them from digging in the garden.
- If the plants need additional space to grow, you can use a wire cutter to enlarge the holes directly above the ones that need them.
- As an alternative to wire mesh, you can place plastic sheets designed specifically for use in the garden.
Step 3. Place extendable trusses on the ground
Generally the trellises for climbing plants are made of PVC, so they are quite durable. Place them on the ground before planting the seeds. The openings in the structure will make the area less inviting for cats roaming the garden.
- Gently press the trellis to the ground so that they are partially covered by the earth.
- Place the seedlings and seeds in the ground between the lattice gaps. As they grow, many plants in the garden will develop around the trellis without much difficulty.
Step 4. Cover the ground with unsightly materials
Cats don't like to dig or play on rough surfaces. Therefore, in the garden you can spread a thin layer of safe materials such as:
- Mulch with a rough consistency;
- Prickly cones;
- Pebbles and stones.
Step 5. Line cat land with "scat mats"
Scat mats (available at garden stores) are mats with flexible plastic tips. The tips are soft enough not to hurt cats, but have an unpleasant texture for these pets who will keep away from them.
- You can buy these mats in packs of two to five pieces depending on the brand. Generally, they are cut into four parts, to make laying easier depending on the size and needs of the garden.
- It is not enough for you to place them on the surface of the ground. You will have to press them to the ground until they are covered by the earth, leaving only the tips out, otherwise some cats that are a bit more awake may lift them with their paws.
Step 6. Install a fence
Cats are stubborn animals that can sneak in everywhere. However, it would be effective to mount a fence approximately 1.80m high with an internal grid of 5cm x 5cm to keep cats out of the garden. If it protrudes another 60 cm, it can offer additional protection.
Step 7. Use low voltage wire
An electric fence installed around the garden can actually keep cats away. Provided it is low voltage, it will do no harm to these intruders, it will only chase them away. Installed about 10 cm from the ground, it will discourage them from entering the garden.
- Look for an electric fence at hardware or home supply stores. Follow all installation instructions and safety rules carefully.
- Keep children away from the electric fence.
Method 2 of 4: Deterring Cats with the Power of Scent
Step 1. Grow strong smelling plants
Cats dislike certain plants and, as a result, stay away from them. If you grow them, the whole area of the garden will become disgusting for the cat population that roams your part. Try planting one or more species near the garden, scattering them among others or in areas you don't want them to access:
- Lavender;
- Rue;
- Geranium;
- Absinthe;
- Lemon thyme;
- Roses with thorns;
- Coleus canina, also called "cat-scaring plant".
Step 2. Use dried herbs or scented oils
If you don't want to plant herbs that cats can't tolerate, you could sprinkle dried versions of those plants or essential oils around your garden to get the same effect.
- You can buy rue and dried lavender on the Internet or in some gardening stores. Essential oils of lavender, lemongrass, citrus and eucalyptus can be found in some supermarkets or health and beauty stores.
- You can also try rubbing essential oils on the edges of containers that hold the plants.
- If you can't find the herbs or oils mentioned, you can achieve a similar effect by sprinkling cayenne pepper in the same way as dried herbs.
Step 3. Sprinkle citrus peels throughout the garden
Most cats hate the smell of citrus. A quick and easy fix is to sprinkle fresh or dried peels of lemons, oranges, grapefruits and other citrus fruits on the garden soil. Cats will not be harmed, but the smell will force them to seek out a more inviting area.
Step 4. Try coffee grounds or pipe tobacco
Just like citrus fruits, the smell of coffee and tobacco is disgusting for most cats. Just spread a thin layer of coffee or tobacco grounds directly on the ground.
Step 5. Spray commercial predator urine repellent
Cat repellent sprays can be found at many gardening stores. Look for a "natural" one that contains fox urine or other predators among the substances.
These products contain natural ingredients that can keep other animals, such as squirrels and rabbits away. Always follow the instructions for use very carefully
Step 6. Spread strands of your hair around the garden
In theory, many wild cats don't like the scent of human hair. As a result, you have the option of keeping neighborhood strays out by putting a few strands of your hair around the garden.
- Pull your hair from brushes and combs, or ask a hairdresser if it would please you to keep it when you cut it. Arrange them in wisps around the perimeter of the garden.
- This solution, however, is not a deterrent to domesticated cats (including those living in your home), as they are used to the smell of human hair.
Step 7. Wash away any cat odors
If a cat has already marked its territory in your garden, it will probably be necessary to get rid of the smell before it considers moving somewhere else. By sprinkling or pouring a little white vinegar around the area he's been trying to "claim," you can discourage him from returning to that spot again.
Method 3 of 4: Escape the Cats
Step 1. Wet the cats with a garden hose
If you are careful, you can simply bathe the cats by using a hose to water the plants whenever they try to enter the garden. Cats need to be disciplined, so if you're persistent, this may eventually be enough to drive them away forever.]
Don't overdo it when you spray them with the garden pump. Most cats hate water, so a quick, gentle sprinkle is usually sufficient. You don't need to use high-powered foggers or flood intruders with water
Step 2. Install sprinklers that activate with motion
This type of device can be found at gardening stores. When a cat walks, its movements trigger the sprinkler which will activate the water flow. Most cats hate getting wet, so it can be an effective deterrent. Install sprinklers with motion sensors to create a barrier around the garden.
These devices can be mounted permanently or temporarily, depending on your preferences and needs
Step 3. Use an ultrasound device to discourage cats from entering
It emits a high-frequency sound that is intolerable to these animals, but which humans cannot hear. This device is activated by movement, so as soon as a cat walks, it will be frightened by the high frequency sound and will leave the area. Look for an ultrasonic device at stores that sell pet supplies and use it to create a barrier around your garden.
Step 4. Adopt a dog
Cats don't stay long in areas where they feel threatened by predators. For this reason, a dog that chases cats can actually keep them out of your yard.
Method 4 of 4: Make a Peace Offer
Step 1. Place a litter box
You can place an outdoor litter box for stray cats that come into the garden. Use a container at least as large as a litter box. Fill it with soft, fine sand (you can buy it in bags at a hardware store) - cats find it particularly inviting. With any luck, they will be drawn to this container, giving up on your garden, and will use it as they would the litter box.
- Make sure you empty the sand bin regularly. If it fills up and is too dirty, strays may return to using the garden land.
- Keep children away from the bowl and explain that they should not play inside.
Step 2. Attract the cats to a space intended for them
If you want to keep them out of your yard, but don't care if they hang out in other areas, try creating a space for them. They will be drawn to areas covered with certain plants and, hopefully, leave the rest of the garden alone. Choose a small plot of land and grow some of the following non-toxic plants inside:
- Catnip (Nepeta cataria);
- Racemosa (Nepeta mussinii);
- Camedrio maro (Teucrium Marum);
- Valerian (Valeriana officinalis);
- Phalanx (Chlorophytum comosum).
Step 3. Move the bird feeder
If you have a bird feeder near the garden, move it to a more remote area. Ideally, hang it high enough that cats cannot jump to reach it. Otherwise, the birds that come to feed may be in more danger than your garden is.
